Thermostatic electrically heated comb



P. AERES THERMOSTATIC ELEGTRICALLY HEATED COMB Dec. 28, 1948.

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Filed Aug. S. 1946 Patented Dec. 28, 1948 THERMOSTATIC ELECTRICALLY HEATED COMB n Paul Acres, New York, N. Y. l Application August 5, 1946, Serial No. 688,545

This invention relates to combs and more particularly to an electrically heated comb.

An object of this invention is to provide an electrically heated comb having a thermostat and a thermostat control whereby the temperature of the comb may be selectively controlled by an operatcr for any temperature within the range of the thermostat and heating element.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved electrically heated hair straightening comb having a selective temperature control whereby the comb may be properly used on soft or hard grades of hair without damage to the head or scalp by selecting the desired temperature.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved electrically heated comb of the kind to be hereinafter described having a bi-metal thermostat for breaking the electric circuit and holding the temperature at a constant selected temperature.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and 'then more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical section through my electrically heated comb,

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 ls a rear elevation of the handle and control knob,

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic View, partly in section, of the control cam, taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a vertical section, partly broken away, taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a wiring diagram of the electrical circuit.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral IIJ ldesignates generally an electrically heated hair straightening comb constructed according to an embodiment of my invention.

Heretofore there have been introduced onto the market electrically heated combs for straightening hair which have met With little commercial success for various reasons, one particular reason being that the combs were designed for a constant temperature with no means for changing that temperature, thereby limiting the use of that particular comb to one certain type of hair. A beautician would have had to equip his shop with several different combs, each having a diiTerent temperature setting, in order to properly work on various types of hair.

1 Claim. (Cl. 219-21) As temperature on the head and hair for such treatment is of critical consideration, it is important that some contro] be devised for selecting a maximum temperature for each time the comb is used, which temperature will be governed by the grade of hair, and will vary for each. On the heating comb I0 of my invention, I have provided such means whereby the beautician may select the highest temperature he desires the comb to reach for each grade of hair, while still keeping the size of the comb down to a readily handled size and weight.

The heater comb I0 comprises a comb II, a handle I2, a heating element I4, and a thermo- ,static control switch I5 connected into the electric circuit of the heating element I4. The comb I I is formed of a plurality of teeth I6 inthe conventional manner and is a thickened body portion Il from which the teeth I6 depend. 'I'he body II is formed with a bore I8 extending substantially the length of the comb I I and opening at one end. The heating element I4 is of elongated tubular configuration and is adapted to be xed in the bore I8 for heating the comb II. The comb II may be made of bronze, iron, aluminum, plastic, or other suitable material.

A wooden handle I2 is attached to the comb I I at one end thereof by a tube I9 which extends through the handle I2 and outwardly from the ,handle at one end where it is threaded exteriorly for engaging in the enlarged threaded open end of the bore I8. The tube I9 may be made of brass or any other suitable substantially rigid material and is hexagonal in section in the preferred form so that it will not be rotatable in the handle I2.

Fixed in the extending end of the tube I 9 is a thermostatically controlled switch I5 for selectively controlling the temperature of the heating element I4. The thermostat I5 comprises a short section of tube 20 which is made of porcelain or other suitable non-conducting material having an outer end wall 2 I, in which a metal connector plug 22 is xed and extends therethrough. A screw 24 engages in the outer end oi the plug 22 for attaching a conducting wire lead 25 from the heating element I4 to the thermostat I5. A bi-metal contact supporting member 26 is carried by the plug 22 and extends within the tube 2U, and a platinum or other suitable contact point 2l is carried on the member 26 at its innermost free end on the upper side thereof. The member 26 is so constructed and positioned that heat on the member 26 will cause it to be deflected or bent outwardly towards the walls of the tube 2B.

A short section of tube 28 is fixed in the tube I8 within the handle I2 as by a screw 29 extending through the handle I2, tube I9 and into the tube section 28. The tube 28 is formed with thick walls being threaded internally and a control rod 30 engages through the tube section 28 so the rod 30 is threaded therethrough. A plug 3l, rotatable in the tube I9 at the rear end of the handle I2, is fixed on the rod 30 for supporting the rear end thereof in alignment with the sleeve 23. The forward end of the rod 30 is formed of a reduced diameter section 32 and a terminal section 35 is secured thereon to which a wire 36 is fastened which connects to the source of electric supply. The contact point 31 is xed to the end of the rod 3l) within the sleeve 20 for engaging with the contact 21 to complete the electric circuit.

The contact 31 may be fixed on the rod 30 by a force fit or other attaching means. The contact 31 is formed of a spiral shaped cam whereby the contact 31 may engage the contact 21 on the periphery thereof in such manner that the point at which the deflection of the member 26 breaks contact may be controlled by rotating the contact 31. When little heat is desired, the lowest point of the cam 31 engages the contact 21 whereupon a slight deflection of the member 26 will break the electric circuit and keep the temperature at this low value. For greater temperature, the cam 31 is rotated so the higher edges of the cam 31 engage the Contact 21 in order that a large deflection of member 26 is required to break the circuit, the deflection being proportional to the temperature of the comb and thermostat.

As one complete revolution of the cam 31 comprises the entire range of adjustment, it is necessary only to provide for rotating the shaft 30 one revolution. Stop nuts 39 on the shaft 30 on each side of the sleeve 23 are provided for limiting the travel of the sleeve to one complete revolution.

An indicating pointer arm or radially extending index 40 is carried by the plug 3I outwardly o1' the handle I2 and the plug 3| is secured on the shaft 30 by a nut 4I. A flanged sleeve 42 is engaged in the rear end of the handle I2 about the sleeve I9, the ange comprising the rearmost end of the handle I2. Indicia 44 are provided on the rear side of the plug 42 and the index 40 cooperates with the indicia 44 for indicating the relative position of the cam 31 and the relative temperature of the comb IIJ. The plugs 3I and 42 may be made of plastic or other suitable material.

The handle I2 is formed with a groove 45 adjacent the sleeve I9 through which the lead wires 36 and 46 may be extended. The wire 36 connects the thermostat point 31 to the source of electric power and the wire 46 connects the other end of the heating element I4 to the electric power source. The wires 36 and 46 may be enclosed in glass or other nonconducting tubes to insulate them from contact with other metal parts.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

What I claim is- An electrically heated comb comprising a comb, a handle for said comb having a longitudinal bore extending therethrough, a heating element in said comb, and a heating element temperature control including a bi-metallc element connected at one end thereof in the circuit of said heating element and having a contact point on the other end thereof, a block fixed in said handle bore, a control rod in said bore threadably engaging and extending throughv said block, a second contact consisting of a spiral cam fixed on the inner end of said control rod adjacent to said first contact, and stops carried by said control rod and adapted to engage said block for limiting the rotation of said spiral cam whereby rotation of said control rod and said cam controls the separation of said contacts upon deflection of said b-metallic element thereby selectively controlling the temperature of said heating element and said comb.

PAUL AERES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,415,050 Reichart May 9, 1922 1,772,002 Harper Aug. 5, 1930 2,012,490 Wright Aug. 27, 1935 2,299,462 Clark et al. Oct. 20, 1942 

